Stravaiging and Camping the Scottish Hills and Islands

Sgurr nan Ceathreamhnan from Glen Affric. May 2006

On a week’s holiday in Glen Affric. We’d decided that we’d try to get out to SNC and Mullach na Dheiragain. We reckoned, however, that this was well beyond comfortable daywalking range so we brought the tent to allow us to camp further out.

Heavy packs meant a slow plod for the first 11km. A nice day, is a little hazy.

Carn Glas Lochdarach across Loch Affric:

Glen Affric is a lovely place, we’d visited often prior to picking up the hillwalking bug.

Glen Affric tree:

We headed out along the north shore of the loch and then on past Strawberry Cottage to the bridge across Allt Coire Ghaidheil. Stuck all the camping gear into bags and snugged them out of sight.

Mullach Fraoch Coire from bridge:

Headed up the slopes of An Sornach before continuing to An Socach. Views of Sgurr nan Ceathreamhnan emerge – still fairly snowy.

Sgurr nan Ceathreamhnan from An Socach:

We were heading for the very remote Mullach na Dheiragain first – picked our way down to the hanging coire under Sgurr nan Ceathreamhnan to cross to the Mullach na Dheiragain ridge.

Sgurr nan Ceathreamhnan from crossing to Mullach na Dheiragain:

In the other direction Glen a Choinich runs away towards Loch Mullardoch.

Glen a Choinich:

Climbing up on to the ridge at Carn na Con Dhu it’s still another couple of km each way to Mullach na Dheiragain. Looks a fair way back to SNC.

Sgurr nan Ceathreamhnan from Mullach na Dheiragain:

Wended our way in the fairly warm sun back along the ridge to the bigger munro – the long ridge we’d approached by stretches away NE.

Mullach na Dheiragain from ascent of Sgurr nan Ceathreamhnan:

Finally atop SNC – with a view over to its west top. By the time we returned 4 years later we were carrying the full camping packs. Didn’t find a good summit pitch though.

Dropped down the path to the YH ay Alltbeithe before heading 2km east to our gear. Pitched the tent about NH 108 206. Too tired to bother overly about the tick hatch that was running up the tent walls.

Trango at pitch:

A nice dawn, had breakfast on the stony ground near the river to escape the ticks.

Dawn at pitch:

A very pleasant walk back – a beautiful day of reflections.

Beinn Fada across lochan:

Mullach in reflection:

Mullach reflection in River Affric:

Walked the south shore of Loch Affric for variety – great views up to An Tudair of Mam Sodhail.

An Tudair:

Glen Affric is a fine place for insect life too – Green Hairstreaks tend to be out in late Spring.

Green Hairstreak:

An Tudair and pine:

Back to our digs by early afternoon, almost uniquely over a few weeks at this destination we sat out in the sun and had a few beers – we were almost always out all day round here.